Appendix 1. Additional articles

Unit 1

Text 1. The System of Higher Education in the USA

Two main categories of institutions of higher learning are public and private. All schools get money from tuition and from private contributors. However, public schools are also supported by the state in which they’re located. Private schools do not receive state funding. As a result, tuition is generally lower at public schools, especially for permanent residents of that state. A third category is the proprietary (for-profit) school. These usually teach a particular workplace skill. Some of these schools are quite expensive.

Schools can also be grouped by the types of programs and degrees they offer. The three major groups are community colleges, 4-year colleges, and universities. Community colleges (sometimes called junior colleges) offer only the first 2 years of undergraduate studies (the freshman and sophomore years). They enroll about 5 million students a year. Most community colleges are public schools, supported by local and / or state funds. They serve two general types of students: those taking the first 2 years of college before they transfer to a 4-year school for their third and fourth (junior and senior) years and those enrolled n 1- or 2-year job-training programs. Community colleges offer training in many areas, such as health occupations, office skills, computer-science, police work, and automotive repair.

What is the difference between a college and a university? Size is only part of the answer. Some colleges have a student body of just a few hundred, while some state universities serve more than 100,000 students on several campuses? A university is usually bigger than a college because the scope of its programs is much greater. A university offers a wider range of undergraduate programs plus graduate studies.

Part of the responsibility of a university is to encourage its faculty and graduate students to do research to advance human knowledge. Colleges, on the other hand, are primarily undergraduate schools. They have no obligation to conduct research. Many excellent colleges are liberal arts schools, which means that they offer studies in the humanities, languages, mathematics, social sciences, and sciences. Liberal arts colleges generally do not offer degrees in engineering, business, journalism, education (teacher training), and many other specific vocations that a student can prepare for at a university.

Some colleges specialize in training students for one occupation (as agricultural colleges and teachers’ colleges do). Many undergraduate institutions that are not called colleges also provide higher education in one specific occupation – for example, conservatories for music students, seminaries for students of religion, and fine arts schools for artists. For those wishing to prepare for military careers, the U.S. government maintains four military academies. At colleges and universities, the academic year is about 9 months long (usually from September until early June or from late August until May).

After completing 4 academic years with acceptable grades in an approved course of study, the student earns a bachelor’s degree. Some students complete college in less than 4 years by attending summer sessions. At most colleges, the academic year is divided into either two semesters or three quarters, excluding the summer session. College grades, from highest to lowest, are usually А, В, C, D, and F (a failing grade). Generally, students must keep а С average to remain in school.

Check your comprehension

~ What are three differences between a college and a university?

Graduate Education

American universities offer three kinds of graduate degrees: master's degrees, Ph.D. degrees, and professional degrees (for example, in medicine, law, or engineering). In most fields, a master’s degree can be earned in 1 or 2 academic years of study beyond the B.S. or B.A. Earning a Ph.D. degree (doctor of philosophy) usually takes at least 3 years beyond the master’s. To receive a Ph.D. in most fields, students must pass oral and written examinations and produce a long and comprehensive research paper that makes an original contribution to their field. In some fields, Ph.D. candidates must also be able to read one or two foreign languages. Requirements are different for professional degrees.

In recent years, the graduate student population has become much more diverse than ever before. It now includes more women, foreign students, minority group members, older students, and part-time students. Also, the variety of degree programs offered has expanded greatly. Today’s graduate students can choose from master’s degrees in at least 1,000 fields and Ph.D.s in about 100 fields.

Check your comprehension

~ What are four requirements most Ph.D. applicants must fulfill?

Financing Higher Education

College costs vary quite a bit, depending upon the type of school. At expensive private schools, annual costs (including tuition, room, board, books, travel to and from home, etc.) may exceed $30,000. Public universities are much cheaper. At these schools, tuition is significantly higher for out-of-state students than for permanent residents of that state. Tuition at community colleges averages about $ 1,500, approximately half the in-state tuition at public, 4-year schools.

During the 1990s, the cost of higher education rose about 7.5% a year. Difficulties making ends meet create serious problems for many students. Older students with a family to support may try to work full time while carrying a full academic courseload. They forget to leave themselves time to eat, sleep, and relax.

For those who need financial assistance, help is available. There are three main types of financial aid: (1) scholarships (grants), which are gifts that students do not repay; (2) loans to students and / or their parents; and (3) student employment (work/ study), a part-time job that the school gives the student for the academic year. Most financial aid is need-based; that is, only students who need the money receive it. Financial assistance to excellent students who do not need the money (commonly called merit-based aid) is limited.

Funds for all this aid come from three main sources – the federal government, state governments, and private contributors. Every American college and university has a financial aid office to help students find out what kind of aid they might be eligible for and to assist them in completing the complicated application forms. Aliens who are permanent residents in the U.S. are eligible for government assistance, but foreign students are not.

Check your comprehension

~ What are three kinds of financial aid? Which one do you think students like most?